Train dispatching system for railroads



Sept. 22, 1931. s. N. WIGHT TRAIN DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR RAILROADS Filed Nov. 25, 1929 INVENTOR s. 5%

BY wzi wATToRuY Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT merrier} SEDGWICK N. 'wrentrg'or ROCHESTER, NEWJYORK, ASSIGNOR- TO- GENERAL similar. COMPANY, or noonrsrnnnnw YORK "RAILWAY TRAIN 'DISPATCH'ING SYSTEM FORRAILROADS Application filed November 25, 1929. Serial No. 409,605. v

This invention relates'to train dispatching systems, and more particularly to systems ofthetype in whichthe movement of trains is dispatched through the medium of wayside signal indications. u

X In my .prior'application, Ser. No. 120,423 filed July 3, 1926, there has been disclosed a. train dispatching system in which the dispatcher may directly control the wayside signals and other traflic controllingdevices at'a distant point, 'toadvise and aid the engineerin the movement of his train over-the tracks. In some cases it is experienced that there is an interlocking plant at a distant point on the railwaysystem, where an operatoris presentat'all times, such interlocking plant in many cases beingjone of the manually operated type, as distinguished "from a power interlocking plant, and in accordance with the present invention it is proposed to handle such manually operable interlocking plant through the medium of a'dispatching system of the type disclosed in my prior application. p More specifically, it is 'p'roposedfto provide the operator in said; distant interlocking plant with a miniature track layout corresponding to the interlocking plant over which he has control, to associate indicators with said miniature track layout which signals are capable of informing the operato'r what routes 'to set up, and '"tocontrol these miniature signals from the distant oliice. A further object of the present invention *resides in the provisionoi' means whereby the passage of a trainover certain trackcircuits is directly and automatically 'indicated in the same line circuits through which the dispatcher informs the operator as to what routesto set up. I

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features otthis invention will 'in ipart be obvious from the accompanying drawings and will in part be pointed out 'inth'e detaildescription hereinafter. I p In describing the invention in'detailreference will be made: to the accompanying drawings, in'w'hichfthe portion at the righthand side -thereof illustrates conventionally sented by the dotted-line 10. south track of the doubl 'tem is represented by rails 7 divided by intrack relay TS and a track anism 14.

for convenience been shown applied to a double track railway'system, which is crossed 'bya single track railway having signals 1 and 2'asso'c1ated therewith. The northtrack of "the double track railway system is illustrated, by rails 3, divided by'insulating joints 4 into track sections, of which one section is provided with a track battery 5 and a track relay TN. This same track section is also provided with derails DNVV-and 'DNE, these derails being controlled through the medium of a lever L and suitable interconnecting mechanism conventionally repre- Similarly' the e'track railway syssulating joints 8into track sections of which one track section is track-circuited by the battery 9. v This latter section is provided with derails DSWV and DSE, which are controlled -by the lever L and through the medium of suitable mechanism designated by the dotted line 6.

Further, these two "tracks are connected by a crossover CO which is controlled by the lever L through the medium of mech- Also, these tracks are connected by a crossoverCO controlled by the lever L and mechanism 15. dispatchers oflice through the medium of the At the approach to the crossover CO there is provided a main signal SSIand a take-siding signal DS, which signals are controlled through the medium of circuits conventionally'shown at 16 and :18 and are interlocked so that only one of these-signals can be cleared depending on the position of the switch points of the crossover; whereas the crossover G0 has associated therewith a main signal SN and a take-siding signal DN similarily interlocked, these signals being controlled through the "medium of circuits conventionally shown at 17 and 19.

crossovers which is provided with a miniature signal to and the other of which is provided with More specifically, the signals SN, DN, SS and DS are controlled through the medium of circuits conventionally illustrated by dotted lines 19, 17 16 and 18, so organized that a particular signal can only clear if the corresponding control repeater relays 20, 21, 22 or 23 is energized, the asociated crossover assumes the proper position, and traffic conditions in advance are clear, all as shown in my prior application Ser. No. 120,423 above referred to. Also, if desired both of the railway tracks shown may be signaled for both directions of train movement, as by absolutepermissive-block signaling, if desired.

Adjacent the levers L L, L and L there is provided a miniature track layout containing the signals N, S, E and WV, which signals'inform the interlocking tower operator whether a train is to pass over the lower track or the upper track and whether it is to take one or the other of the two crossovers shown, all as more clearly pointed out hereinafter. In the interlocking tower are also provided control relays ZVV and ZE, which are controlled from the dispatchers oiiice DO, the control relay ZWV in turn controlling repeater relays 20 and 21, whereas the control relay ZE controls repeater relays 22 and 23.. There are also provided slow-acting bell relays BW and BE, which are used in con-.

nection with the sounding of the alarm or bell BL, as pointed out in the operation of the system hereinafter.

' In the dispatchers ofiice DO there is provided a miniature track layout for two associated therewith, one of a miniature signal 0. Similiarly, the upper track is provided with a track circuit occupancy indicating lamp ITN and the lower track is provided with an indicator ITS. There are provided two levers LVV and LE in the dispatchers ofiice which levers respectively control the control relays ZVV and ZE, there being included in the ener- ,gizing circuit for the relay ZlV the indicating relay WVR, and there being included in the energizing clrcuit of the control relay ZE, an'indicating relay ER. Having now briefly pointed out all of the various elements of the system, many of which have been conventionally represented, it is deemed expedient to point out the cooperation of these .elements in the operation of the system.

0perati0n:Let us first assume that the dispatcher wishes to allow a train moving from left to right over the railway track 7 to cross the track of the other railway system. In order to do so, he will operate the lever LW' to the right, thereby completing the following circuit for the control relay ZWV '-beginningat the positive terminal of the eatery 25, wires 26 and 27, lever energized toward the right the relay 21 will be energized through a circuit containing the neutral contact 40 and polar contact 41 to the right of the relay ZVV. lVith the relay 21 energized the indicators is rendered'active, thus informing the interlocking operator that he is to set up traffic to permit passage of the train in question.

In order for the dispatcher to clear the signal SS, the operator in the interlocking tower must first place the derails DSlV and DSE in their inactive position, and this is accomplished by movement of the lever L which can only be moved if the signals 1 and 20f the conflicting route are at stop. After these derails have been moved to their inactive position signal SS may clear in response to the energized condition of relay 21, thus permitting the train in question to proceed, assuming of course that tratlic conditions in advance are clear.

As the train in question accepts the signal SS and enters and treads upon the track circuit containing track relay TS, the control relay ZW is deenergized, and this approach of the train is indicated to the operator by the inaction of his indicator S. In this connection, it should be noted that the operators attention is directed to the lighting of the lamp S by thesounding of the bell BL, this bell being sounded. through the following circuit begining at the battery terminal B, front contact of the relay 21, wires 66, 67 and 68, back contact 69 of the relay BWV, wires 70 and 71, winding of the bell BL, to the other terminal C of said battery.- After a short time the relay BVV will pick-up, it also deriving its energy through the contact 65, after which the bell circuit will be opened at the contact 69 of relay BVV, so that the bell BL is sounded momentarily only. Similarly, dropping of the track relay TS opens the energizing circuit for the indicating relay VVR in the dis patchers oflice DO, thereby causing this relay VVR to assume its retracted position, effecting illumination of the track occupancy indicating lamp ITS, so that the dispatcher will advise the operator in the interlocking oassa e of the train in uestion.

Let us' now "assume that another train is approaching, moving, from left to right over the same track 7, and that the dispatcher wishes this train to proceed over the crossover CO to cross the conflicting route through the medium of the track 8.- In

order togive this-information the dispatcher will move l-ris'lever, LW toward the left. Movement of lever LW' to the vleft effects energization of the'relays lVR'and ZW, but under this condition the :control relay ZlV will be energized toward the left, thereby effectingenergization of the relay 20, which relay 2O intu'rn will assume its attracted position and through the medium of contact 43 illuminate the indicator W. Also, with the lever 'LlV toward the left the indicators w in thedi'spatcl1e1"s;oflice will be rendered active through the following circuit beginning at the negative terminal of the battery 25, wire 44, lever LV, wires 28 and L front contact 36 of the relay WVR, wire 37, lever contact-38, Wire 45, indicating lamp to,

to common return wire C.

The indicator TV associated with the lever in the interlocking tower thus informs the operator that he must set up a route over the crossover CO and he will do this by operating the'lever L- and L The approach offfthe train on the track 7 from left to right upon accepting the signal DS will pass over the'crossover CO and over'the derails DNTV and DNE. .The operator will now movehis lever LE towardthe left and will therebyenergize the control relay ZE and the indicating relay ERthrough the following circuit :begining at the negative terminal battery 25, wires 44, 46V and 47,

lever LE, wires 48 and 49, relay ER, wire 50, front contact of track relay TN, wire 51, winding of the relay ZE, wires 33 and C, back to the mid-point of the battery 25.

The completion of these circuits picks up the relay ER and prevents energization of the indicating lamp ITN in-the'dispatchers office "DO. Also, with the relay ZE now energized toward the left the repeater relay'22 is energized, resulting in the energization of the indicating lamp N. This indicating lamp N when energizing in combination with the indicatinglamp TV informs the operator that an east bound, train movement is to take place over the route identified by these lamps Vand N. The signal SN will,

however, not be cleared even though the relay 22 is energized, this by reason of the fact that the crossover CO is in its reverse position and local interlocking prevents the clearing of the signalSN.

As this train treads, upon the track circuit containing the track relay'TN, the control relay ZE and the indicatin relay ER will be dc-energized, thereby effecting extin'gnishment of the indicating lamp N due to dropping of the relay 22, and also effecting illumination of the indicating lamp ITN in'the dispatchers ofiice through the following circuit :beginning at the negative terminalof the battery 25, wires 44, 46, and 47, lever LE, wires 48 and 56, back contact 57 of the relay ER, wire 62, indicating lamp ITN, to the common return wire C connected to the midpoint of battery 25.

Let us *now assume that the-re is a train moving from east to west on the track 3, and that the dispatcher wishes this train to continue its movement on track 3 and pass over the conflicting route as soon as possible. To accomplish this, the dispatcher will move his lever LE toward the left there'- by closing the following energizing circuit for "the control relay ZE and the indicating relay ER connected in series therewith beginning at the negative terminal of the battery 25, wires 44, 46 and 47, lever contact E, wires 48'and 49, winding of the indicating relay ER, line wire 50, front coning of the control relay ZE, wires 33 and C, back to the midpoint of the battery 25.

Completion'of this circuit causes the relays thereby completinga circuit for the indicating lamp N, including the front contact 54 of the 'relay 22, readily traced in the drawings. Energization of the relay 22 will, of course, momentarily sound the bell BL for reasons heretofore given. The operator in the interlocking tower in response to the illumination of the indicating lamp N, this informing him that a train is to pass over the track3 without taking any one of the cross overs, will operate the lever L to close the derails DNlV and DN E. If now the derailsDNlV and DNE have been closed, the cross overs CO andCO areboth closed,

'traflic conditions in advance of this signal SN are clear and the repeater relay22 energlzed as Just explained, the upper arm signal SN Wlll assume the I clear position through the circuit conventionally illustrated by the dotted line 19, so that the train in question may proceedove'r the track 3,

this of course on the assumptionthat there is no train moving on the conflicting route. If there were a train moving on the conflicting route, or the signals 1 'or 2 on this conflicting route were clear, the dispatcher would have been unable to close his derails DNV and DNE,

Passage'of thetrain in question over 'the tact on the track relay TN, wire 51, windtrack circuit including the track relay TN and battery 5 will effect opening of the ener-v gizing circuit for the control relay ZE and the indicating relay ER, the interlocking operator will be informed of this train movement by the extinguishment ofthe indicator N, and the dispatcher will be informed of this fact by the illumination of the indicating lamp ITN. After the train in question has passed and the dispatcher has been informed of this fact, he will return the lever NE to its neutral position, thereby informing the interlocking operator through the extinguishment of the indicating lamp N, that he may again open the derails DNIV and DNE, this indicating lamp N in the meantime having been illuminated in response to movement of the train off of the track circuit containing the track relay TN.

Obviously, a train may be directed over the crossover CO in exactly the same manner as already explained in connection with the crossover CO and for this reason it is deemed unnecessary to explain this operation specifically. It may however be pointed out that in this case the dispatcher will move his lever LE toward the right, and illuminate the indicating lamp 6 through contacts57 and 59 and wire 58, and similarly cause illumination of the indicator- E through the medium of front contactTQ of the relay 23.

A system has been devised in which the dispatcher may inform an operator at a distant interlocking plant as to how he shall control the movement of trains through his interlocking plant through the medium of signal indications displayed before the operator, and further means has been provided to give an OS indication in the dispatchers ofiice in response to train movements through said interlocking plant, this latter OS indication being given over the same line wires which are used for informing the interlocking tower operator as to what route he shall set up for the train in question.

Having thus shown and described one specific embodiment of the'present invention, it is desired to be understood that the particular arrangement illustrated has been selected for thepurpose of facilitating description of the invention, and has not been selected for the purpose of showing the scope of the invention or the exact construction preferably employed in practicing the same, and that various changes, modifications, and additions may be made to adapt the invention to the particular interlocking plant to which the invention. is to be applied, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or the idea of means underlying the same, except as demanded by the scope of the following claims.

\Vhat I claim is 1. The method of dispatching the movement of trains, which consists in visually indicating to the operator at a distant interlocking plant from an invisible point the routes to be set up in said plant, and in having an operator in such plant act on such visual indication and set up such routes.

2. The method of dispatching the movement of trains, which consists in visually indicating at a distant interlocking plant the routes to be setup in such plant, in having an operator insuch plant act on such visual indications and 'set up such routes, and inadvising the dispatcher of the passage of trains over such routes.

3. The method of dispatching the movement of trains, which consists in visually indicating the routes to be set up in a distant interlocking plant, in informing the operator of such plant audibly of a change in such visual indications, and in having said operator in such plant act on such visual indications and set up such routes.

4. The. method of dispatching the movement oftrains, which consists in visually indicating the routes to be set up in a distant interlocking plant, in informing the operator of such plant audibly of a change in such visual indications, and in having said operator in. such plant act on such visual indications and set up'such routes, and in advising the dispatcher of the passage of trains over such routes and by such signals.

5. In a train dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers office, a distant interlockingplant and an associated interlocking tower; of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the traffic; controlling devices of said interlocking plant; visual indicators in said tower for informing the operator as to what route he shall set up;

and means for controlling said visual indicators from said dispatchers oflice.

6. In a train dispatching system, the combmation with a dispatchers office, a distant interlocking plant and an associated interlocking tower; of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the traffic controlling devices of said interlocking plant; visual indicators in said tower for inform ing the'operator in such tower as to what route he shall set up; means for controlling said visual indicators'from said dispatchers oflice; and means for indicating in the dispatchers office the passage of a train over said route.

7. In a train dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers oflice, a distant interlocking plant and an associated interlocking tower; of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the traflic controlling devices of said plant; visual indicators in said tower for informing the operator of said interlocking plant as-to what route he shall set up, means for audibly informing said operator of a change in said indicators;

and means for controlling said visual indicators from said dispatchers office.

8. In a train dispatching system, the'comhination with a dispatchers office, a distant interlocking plant and an associated interlocking tower; of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the traffic controlling devices of said interlocking plant; visual indicators in said tower for informing the operator thereat as to what route he shall set up; means for audibly informing said operator of a change in said indicators; means for controlling said visual indicators from said dispatchers ofiice, and means for indicating in the dispatchers oflice the passage of a train over said route.

9. In a train dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers office, a distant interlocking plant and an associated interlocking tower; of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the trafiic controlling devices of said interlocking plant; visual indicators in said tower for informing the operator thereat as to what route he shall set up; means for audibly informing said operator of a change in said indicators; means for controlling said visual indicators from said dispatchers office over a single line circuit, and means for indicating through the medium of said same line circuit and in the dispatchers office the passage of a train over said route.

10. In a train dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers oflice, a distant interlocking plant and an associated interlocking tower; of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the traflic controlling devices of said interlocking plant, wayside signals in said interlocking plant; visual indicators in said tower for informing the operator in such tower as what route he shall set up; means for controllng said visual indicators and said wayside signals from said dispatchersoffice; and means for indicating in the dispatchers ofiicethe passage of a train over said route.

11. In a train dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers oflice, a distant interlocking plant including an associated interlocking tower; of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the traffic controlling devices of said interlocking plant; visual indicators in saidtower for informing the operator as to what route he shall set up; wayside signals associated with said traffic controlling devices; means for controlling said visual indicators and said wayside signals from said dispatchers office over a single line circuit, and means for indicating through the medium of said'same line circuit and in the dispatchers office the passage of a train over said route.

12. The method of dispatching the movement of trains, which consists in visually indicating at a distant interlocking plant the route tQbe, set up in such plant as determined by the dispatcher, in having an operator in such plant act on such'visual indications and set up such route, and in having the dispatcher clear signals over said route when' said route has been otherwise set up;

13. The method of dispatching the movement of trains, which consists in visually indicating at a distant interlocking plant the route to be set up in such plantas determined by the dispatcher, in having the dis patcher clear signals over said route when said route has been otherwise set up, and in informing the dispatcher of the passage of trains over such routes.

14. In atrain dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers ofiice, a tant interlocking plant including an associated interlocking tower, of leversinsaid interlocking tower for operatingthe traflic controlling devices of said interlocking plant, visual indicators in, said tower for informing the operator as to what route he shall set up, wayside signals associated with said trafiic controlling devices, means for.

control-lingsaid visual indicatorsand said wayside signals from said ,dispatchers office over a single line circuit, which signals can only clear if the proper route has been. otherwise set up,anindicating relay in said dispatchers oiiice included in series in said cuit, a rack ircui ontr e on act at said interlocking plant included in series v in said circuit, whereby the opening'ofsaid contact due to the passagefof a train will inform the dispatcher thereof .by deenergization. of said indicating relay.

15". In a train dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers oflice, a dis tant interlocking plant including an interlocking tower, of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the track switches of said interlocking plant, visual indicators in said tower for informing the operator as to what route he shall setup by operating some of said switches, means for controlling said visual indicators from said dispatchers oflice over a single line circuit, and means for indicating through the medium of said line circuit and in the dispatchers oflice the passage of a train over said route.

16. In a train dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers office, a distant interlocking plant including an interlocking tower, of levers in said interlocking tower for operating the track switches of said interlocking plant, visualindicators in said tower for informing the operator as to what route he shall set up by operating some of said switches, means for controlling said visual indicators from said dispatchers office over a single line circuit, signals for governing the movement of trains through said plant, means for controlling said signals from said dispatchers oflice subject to the proper positions of track switches, and

means for indicating through the medium of the same line circuit and in the dispatchers office the passage of a train over such route.

17. In a train dispatching system, the combination With a dispatchers oflice, a distant interlocking plant including an associated interlocking tower, of levers in said interlocking tower for operating derails in said interlocking plant, visual indicators in said tower for informing the operator as to what derail he shall operate, means for controlling said visual indicators from said dispatchers ofiice over a single line circuit, and

means for indicating through the medium' of said line circuit and in the dispatchers ofiice the passage of a train over such derail.

18. In a train dispatching system, the combination with a dispatchers office, a distant interlocking plant including an associated interlocking tower, of levers in said interlocking tower for operating derails in said interlocking plant, visual indicators in said tower for informing the operator as to what derail he shall operate, means for controlling said visual indicators from said dispatchers ofiice over a single line circuit, signals for governing the movement of trains over such derail, means for clearing such signals .from said dispatchers ofiice providing theassociated derails are in the proper position, and means for indicating through the medium of said same line circuit and in the dispatchers oflice the passage of a train over such derail.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

SEDGWICK N. WIGHT. 

